Posts Tagged ‘Sports Illustrated

Great piece in this week’s Sports Illustrated on the emergence of TCU’s football program. How did Coach Gary Patterson turn TCU in to a BCS contender? Lots of teaching smarts, that’s how. It’s rare you can take a high school athlete who plays, say, running back and then plug him in at the same position at the Div. I level. It happens, but more often it doesn’t. That’s where “player development” comes in. It’s not a very sexy term, but if you can’t help a player in any sport develop their talents — and that may involve moving them to another position where their abilities can be better utilized — you don’t have much of a chance for long-term success.

Here’s his formula according to the magazine:

• Fast. You can be short. But if you can’t fly to the ball, TCU isn’t interested.

• From Texas—of the 21 players in TCU’s 2009 recruiting class, 20 are from in-state—and acutely aware of having been overlooked by Texas. Patterson, says Dallas Cowboys linebacker Stephen Hodge, a former Horned Frog, “wants guys with a blue-collar work ethic and a chip on their shoulders.”

• Low maintenance. Patterson seeks self-starters, guys who watch video during their lunch periods, who don’t have to be lassoed into the weight room. “It doesn’t matter how bad I want it if they don’t,” he says.

• Not overly attached to the position they played in high school. In 2006 five of the 11 players on the defensive line were former high school running backs. Hodge, a strong safety for the Frogs, was a prep quarterback, as were three recent starting tight ends, two of whom ended up in the NFL. Another transplanted QB: Jason Phillips, a four-year starter at linebacker who’s now a rookie with the Baltimore Ravens.

Developing talent is a critical component to success. Rarely dose the media take note of it. Thanks for doing so SI.